Computing-scale.



7 Patented Sept. [0, |9Dl. W. C. WHITNEY.

COMPUTING SCALE.

(Application filed Nov. 24, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

(NoModeL) E e. H

No. 682,373. Patented septflo, I90l.

' w. C. {WH|TNEY.

COMPUTING SCALE (Application filed Nov. 24; 1900.

(No Model.)

3 Sheets- Sheet 2.

Fig.4

Wz'ln asses: 52

Patehted Sept. I0, 1901 No. 682,373. Y

' W. C. WHITNEY.

COMPUTING SCALE. (Applicatiqn filed Nov. 24; 1900.

(No Model.)

' UNIT D STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

VVIIJLIAM O. WHITNEY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO TIIE WVILMORE COMPUTING SCALE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

COMPUTING-SCALE.

'sracrrrcarron forming part of Letters Patent No. ass-2,373, dated September 10, 1901.

' Application filed November 24, 1900. Serial 110.37,.575, N m del- Tor/Z5 whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM C. \VHITNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New J ersey, have invented certain-new and useful Improvements in Computing-Scales, of which the'following is aspecification, refe'rence being had to thedrawings accompanying and forming a part of the same.

This invention is an improvement in computing-scales of the general class in which the movement of the poise along the beam toindicate'the weight of an-article operates computing mechanism to an extent proportional to such movement, causing it. to indicate the cost of the article weighed according to a given unit price, the object of the invention being to provide a more practicable form of .such

apparatus and one betteradaptedto general use.

The improvements in which the invention resides are primarily designed for thepurpose of facilitating.the'manipulation of a scale of ivhichthe beam and computing mechanism ."are'inclose'd'in a casing and for preventing the 'movem ent of either the computing mechanism or the poise along thG'bBaU-l under any circumstances without 'a'co'rresponding move ment of the otherfalthough leaving the scale disconnected from the computing mechanism at all times except during the longitudinal movement of the poise.

' The inventionalso comprises certain details of construction, which will be better un'd'er- 3S stood from the drawingsand the specific description of the same. f

- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the main and essential parts of my improved scale with computing attachment. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on line as a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3

- is a horizontal section on line y y of 'Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a rear elevation of the apparatus with interior mechanism.

portions of the casing cutaway to expose the Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line .2 z of'Fig; 4. Fig. 6 is an-enlarged view in side elevation of the poise and the devices for connecting the same with the computing mechanism. Fig. 7 is-a-top view of the same; and ,Fig. Sis a sectionalview of the .poise,'showing the lockingdevice within the same.

closed in asuitablc casing 2, usually of sheet metal and-supported on legs 1 1, adapted to be mounted on a counter or any other-proper support. The beam may be of any desired.v construction, preferably an ordinary rectangular frame3, supported ona. knife-edge fulcrum 4'and provided at the end of its short arm with a swinging link or yoke 5, from which the scale-pan is suspended, and at the opposite end with the usual yoke 6 for attachment of additional'weights. Below the beam proper is the usual supplemental tare-bar 7., provided with a sliding poise 8. On the upper bar of the frame of the scale-beam 3'is the poise 10. Within this poise in-a suitable re- "cess is pivoted a le'ver 11, the arms of-which are at-substantially right angles to'each other. A spiral spring 12,'iuterpose d between and connected to a screw-plug-ldand a head 14, bears against the end of the long arm of the level; 11 and normally-forces the other arm' into engagement with the under edge of the bar upon which the poise slides. This device serves as a locking device for the poise, and in practice I have found that simple frictional contact between. the lever 11 and bar 3 is sufficient for this purpose. The parts thus described constitute abeam'scale which, with the exception of the locking device for the, poise, diflers in no essential particular from others of its class.

. Thecompu ting,mechanism is arranged inthe casing above the scale-beam. With. regard to this mechanism I would state that it may be'very greatly varied in construction and, infact, that any form may be employed which will be capable of a suitable movement in proportion and proper relation to the move merit of the poise along the beam. The particular form of. computing mechanism shownin the present instance consists of. what may' be termed an angular member 15,wh.ich is a slotted bar pivoted at 16 and made angularly adjustable about'thispivot by meansofa rack 17, with which it is in engagement, and

a pinion 18 fixed to the shaft of-an indicating disk 19, having suitabl'e gradnations along its edge and adapted to be turned by a knobin a circular frame 20, to which is attached'a pointer 21. This latter, by its position with -reference to the scale on the edge of the disk 19,indicates the unit price for which the angular member isadjnsted. Two horizontal bars 22 23 are secured in the casing 2 to form guides for a plate 24, which is provided with pins 25, engaging with a slot 26 iuthe lower bar 23, and a roller 27, running in a groove in thelower edge of the upper bar 22. The plate 24 has also a vertical slot 29, in which works a slide 30, provided with a pin which engages with the slot in the angular member 15, and a roller 28, which bears againstv the lower edge of abar 31. by rollers 32, hearing against the vertical guide-bars 33, and is provided with an extension or arm 34, constituting a rack-bar that engageswith the pinion ofa pointer or train of gear-wheels operating one or more pointers which turn over a graduated dialplate and by their'position indicate the price of the'article weighed.

Inasmuch as the computing mechanism in itself is not of my invention," but is a device now well known, it is sufficient to say'of it that when the plate 24 is moved laterally the slide 80, by reason of its engagement with the angular member 15, is raised more or less, depending upon the angle at which said member is set, and this vertical movement is imparted to the bar 31, and'thronglrthe latter to the pointer orpointers ol' the diaLindicatoi-s.

For convenience I use a dial and pointer on each side of the casing, both for indicating the price and for adjusting the angular member.

' Inasmnch'as the movement of the price-in- I dieating pointers-is proportional both to the actly correspond.

position of the angular member 15 and to the extent of lateral movement of the poise there must be such a connection between the plate 24 and the poise that the lateral movements of each will be exactlyeoextensive and that the positions of the two shall always ex- In order to effect this, I have devised the following mechanism:

I provide a carriage 36 with wheels or rollers 37,'1i1fli3 l'l111 on horizontal guide-bars 38,

xed in the frame or casing of the apparatus. his carriage is connected to the plate 24 by a rigid link 39, so that every movement of the carriage is imparted to the plate.

Mounted in suitable hearings in the carriage 36 is a shaft 40, to whichis secured an arm 41, having a downwardly-projecting toe 42, with an inclined or wedge-shaped end. ,A

handle 43 is also secured to the end of the shaft 40, that extends out through a horizontal slot in the side of the casing, and by the .manipnlatiou-of this handle the carriage is.

movedbackand forth along the guide-bars of.plates 38 and the shaft 40 tnrncdthrongh a small angle.- Movement of the shaft in one direction is limited by the engagement of the arm 41 with'a fixed stop 44 on the carriage, and a spring 45, coiledaround the shaft, tends to keep the arm 41 in engagement with said stop. Byde'pressin g the handle 43 the wedgemovable back and forth.

Said bar 31 is guided lever is slightly turned on its pivot against the force of thespring 14, and thus thrown out of engagement with the scale-beam. By the same operation the carriage and poise are rigidly connected 'and so remain as long as the handle is depressed, and both are freely weight of an article in the scale-pan, therefore, and at the same ti me determine its price, it :is only necessary todep'ress the handle 43 to bring the carriage and poise into engagement and to move both to the point at which the poise when released from the carriage balances the weight in the pan. The pointer will then indicate on the dial the price of the ascertained-weight at the unit price for which the angular member was adjnsted,'while the weight may be read eitherby examining through a slot the position 'of the poise on he beam or by the position of an index on the outside of the casing.

In order that the carriage shall not be capa-ble of movement independentlyof the poise, a plate 46is fitted to slide vert-ically'in the carriage 36 and is formed witlrsertations at its lower end, which mesh with similar serra' 41 and the other to the sliding plate 46 by means of a pin and slot, in order that there may be provision for a certainamount oflost motion between the lever and plate normally, or when the handle 43 is raised the plate 46 is depressed into engagement with the ser- -rated bar 47, which prevents its movement in either direction. 'VVhen therhandle 43 .is depressed, however, it first brings the toe 42 into the recess in the poise, and after a posi-' tive connection between the carriage and the poise is thus provided for a slight movement raises the plate 46 out of engagement with bar 47 and leaves the carriage free'to move.

In order to provide for the more practicable working of the apparatus, a bar 50, parallel to the line of travel of the carriage 36, is mounted by pivotal connection with two levers 51 51 and held in its uppermost position by the action of a spring 52, secured to the frame. The shaft 40 is prolonged beyond the carriage 36 to the opposite side of the casing and carries at its end a roller 53, which runs along the lower edge of a fixed bar 54,

To ascertain the 9O carriage with reference to a scale (50' on the v which latter affords a bearing that relieves the strain on the carriage when the handle'43 is depressed.

travels along the upper edge of the bar 50 and serves to depress this bar when the shaft 40 is turned. The lower ends ofthe-levers 51,wl1ich'support the bar 50, carry studs 57 with rollers. thereon which, in thefturning To the shaft 40 there is also secured an arm 55, carrying a roller 56, that I computing mechanism, whose readings are.

parallelism with the line of travel of the carriage. There will thus be no relative movement of any kind between the carriage and the poise as long as the handle 43 is depressed.

Another feature of novelty in the apparatns is an attachment for indicating exact balance or very. small variations .in weight. This consists of an extension 58 from the short arm of the scale-beam which by means of a link or rod 59 is connected to the short arm of a balanced lever 60, the long arm of which is connected by a rod'fil with one arm of a small balanced lever 62 on a delicatelypivoted spindle carrying a pointer 63. By thus multiplying the movement of the scalebeam the least departure from a true balance is readily shown.

It will be observedfrom the above description of my invention that the apparatus, while composed of twowholly-independent devices-a weighing-scale and a computing mechanism-is nevertheless 'so organized that the functions of one cannot be utiliz'ed without the operation of the other. In other words, the manipulation of the element the use of which is necessary to an adjustment of the poise to determine the weight of a given article involves the operation of the proportional to, but in no sense produced by, the weight. e

Having now described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. In a computing-scale, the combination with a scale-beam and poise, of a computing mechanism, a locking device for rendering the said mechanism normally incapable of being operated by the weighing devices, and means for connecting the computing mechanism and poise and also for controlling the locking device,whereby the computing mechanism is rendered operative when connected with the weighing mechanism, as set forth.

2. In a computing-scale, the combination with a scale-beam and a poise normally locked against movement on the beam, of a computing mechanism normally locked against operative movement by the weighing mechanism, and a device for connecting the poise and computingmechanism and at the same time unlocking both, as set.,forth.

3. In a computing-scale, thecombiuation with a scale-beam and a poise, of a computing mechanism, a device'for connecting and disconnecting the poise and computing mechanism, and a lockin g device for the computing mechanism connected with and controlled by the connecting device substantially as so forth. I

4. Ina computing-scale thecornbination with a scale-beam and a sliding poise thereon, of a computing mechanism having a part adapted to movein a direction parallel with the plane of the beam, a locking device which normally prevents the movement of said part,and an arm thereon adapted to be thrown into engagement with the poise and connected with the said locking device so asto release the" computing mechanism when in engagement with the poise, as set forth.

.5. Ina computing-scale the combination with a scale-beam and a sliding poise thereon, of a computing mechanism having a part capable of movement corresponding to that of the poise, a device for connecting and disconnecting the poise and the said part of the computing mechanism and means operated thereby for holding the beam in a horizontal position while the poise and computing mechanism are connected, as set forth.

' 6. In a computing-scale the combination with a.scale-beam, of a computing mechan-. ism, a poise on the beam, a clutch carried by the poise and adapted to lock it on the beam,-

and a device for connecting the computing mechanism with the poise adapted by its engagement with the poise to release the clutch thereon, as set forth.

,7. In a. computingscale the combination with a scale beam, a sliding poise'and a computing. mechanism, of a carriage mounted to travel in a path parallel with the plane ofthe beanr and connected with the computing mechanism, locking devices on the poise and the carriage, a device carried by the carriage adapted to be moved into engagement with the poise, and by its movement to unlock both the carriage and poise, as set forth.

8. In a. computing-scale the combination with a scale-beam, a sliding poise and a computing mechanism of a carriage mounted to travel in a path parallel with the plane of the beam and connected with the computing mechanism, means for connecting and disconnecting the carriage and poise and means controlled thereby for maintaining the beam parallel with the path of the carriage-while connected with the poise, as set forth.

9. In a computing-scale of the kind de-.

scribed, the combination with a scale-beam and sliding poise, of'the traveling carriage, a stationary track therefor, a locking device on the carriage arranged normally to prevent movement of the carriage, a connecting device on the carriage, adapted to be moved into engagement with the poise and connectcarriage is released when connected with the poise, as set forth. t

10. In a computing-scale of the kind described, the combination with a scale-beam,-

tions between said device and the sliding 1 ed with the said locking device ,-whereby the r plate whereby the plate is raised out of engagement with the track when the carriage and poise are connected, as set forth.

11. In a computing-scale of the kind described the combination with the scale-beam and computing mechanism of a sliding poise,

a controllable connecting device on the computing mechanism and a pivoted spring-actuated lever on the poise normally bearing against the beam, but adapted to be released by the engagement of the connecting device with the poise, as set forth. a

12. ,In a computing-scale of the kind described the combination with a scale-beam and poise, of a fixed track or guide parallel to the plane of the beam, a carriage thereon connected with the computing mechanism,

a rock-shaft on the-carriage, an arm thereon for engaging with the poise, a bar having a parallel motion, means connecting the rockshaft and said bar, whereby the latter is moved with the rock-shaft, and connections between the bar and the scale-beam, whereby the seale-beam will be held parallel with the track of the carriage when the latter is com nected with the poise, as set forth.

13. The combination with the beam and poise ot' a weighing mechanism, of a computing mechanism, a carriage intermediate the computing mechanism and the weighing mechanism, connecting means between the car 'iage and the computing mechanism, a movable connecting device on the carriage arranged to be brought into engagementwith I the poise to unite it with the carriage, means for locking the carriage against movement, and a handle arranged to movethe said connecting device and cause it to engage the poise While the carriage remains locked, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination with the scale-beam 

